Damien Jacobs

Damien Jacobs began their career in 2010 as a Research Engineer at the Universit\u00e9 catholique de Louvain, where they built a preclinical model to assess Wallerian degeneration and optimized MRI set-up at 11.7T. Damien also developed MRI imaging methods to quantify Wallerian degeneration and microglial response, and compared results with quantitative analysis of histological staining. In 2016, they took on the role of Mathematics and Physics Teacher at Domicours. In 2017, they joined FeetMe as a Lead AI Research and Data Scientist, where they managed a team of 5 PhDs and more than 10 interns. Damien also participated in protocol and statistical analysis plan writing and analyses of clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies (Lundbeck, Amgen). Damien developed supervised machine learning models to detect movement disorders in Parkinson's disease and built gait score to assess disease severity in multiple sclerosis. Additionally, they implemented a real-time inertial navigation algorithm embedded in medical device (insoles) to estimate gait parameters with less than 2% error. Damien also provided technical supports and documentations to comply with several standards of medical device, such as risk management analysis (ISO 14971), software life cycle processes (IEC 62304), and certification ISO 13485. Damien initiated collaboration with PSL University to develop inertial navigation methods and to characterize the pressure sensor.

Damien Jacobs earned their Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Engineering Science from Université catholique de Louvain in 2015, following a one year Erasmus exchange at Polytechnique Montréal in 2011. Damien also earned their Master's Degree in Biomedical/Medical Engineering from Université catholique de Louvain in 2010.